Paper short abstract:

Africa’s exposure to the world and the cross cultural tendencies call for a reappraisal of a new epistemic paradigm for the black world.

Paper long abstract:

BRIDGING THE DIVIDE THROUGH RECOGNITION

The emphasis in contemporary times on a new discourse on Africa's episteme is intrinsically linked to the myriad of socio linguist problems facing the continent. This is more evident considering the cultural heritage of the black world. Indeed, the underlying conceptual problem is the assumption for some scholars that Africa's episteme is the sole province of traditional Africans in rural settings, while others see it as the exclusive prerogative of the urban intelligentsia. Unarguably, Africa's exposure to the world and the cross cultural tendencies call for a reappraisal of the new epistemic paradigm for the black world. But for the politics of African knowledge to set a new path, it must first build a spiritual basis that highlights the principles of African plurality. This paper investigates how Africans construct their superstructure and identity in the light of the complexity of the dual representative identity. Consequently, it formulates a holistic view of communal African recognition that guarantees the sense of belonging.

Key Words: Africa's episteme, identity, recognition